Strange Love
by Ghostwriter
Summary: Episode 3.  Love's in the air, and producing some STRANGE couples.
1. Kryptonited

STRANGE LOVE

DISCLAIMER

Smallville belongs to the CW. I only own the plot. Dedicated to Windyfontaine who requested a Chloe\Clark story. And I know Smallville did an ep similar to this, but I swear it's nothing like it.

CHAPTER ONE: KRYPTONITED

Clark Kent sat in his loft, looking at the college brochure for Kansas A&M. He didn't know what to do. Maybe he should've stayed on the football team. At least then he'd have a scholarship. He blew out a breath.

"Working hard or hardly working?" a voice joked. The teen turned around to see his mother.

"Hey, Mom," Clark said. He blew out a breath. "I just don't know what to do. I mean, are we even gonna have money for a junior college?" he wondered.

"Oh, honey," Martha said sympathetically.

"Maybe I should just forget about college and concentrate on the farm," Clark stated.

"No, that's not an option. Your father would never forgive himself if you turned down college just to take care of this place," Mrs. Kent responded.

"You sure?" Clark asked.

"Of course," Mrs. Kent assured him.

"Okay," Clark said. He blew out a breath. "But I **still** don't know where to go," he admitted. Martha laughed.

"Why don't you take a brain break?" she suggested.

"Okay," Clark agreed. He put the brochures aside. "I think I'll go do my chores," he continued.

"All right," his mother laughed. She knew that working around the farm often calmed her son down. Then, she blew out a breath. She wasn't sure how to help her son. She understood his dilemma, but what she had told him had been the truth: Jonathan would beat himself up if Clark gave up college to work on the farm. The woman walked back into the house. She sighed and shook her head. She wished she could help her son, but unfortunately, this was one of those tough life decisions that he'd have to make on his own. Clark sped around the farm, doing his various chores, his mind going as fast as his body. _What do I do? I mean, without a scholarship, I can't afford college, and if I go to college, Mom and Dad will be here alone. What if something happens and I can't get here in time to help?_ the teen wondered. Several seconds later, Clark had finished his chores, but he still had no idea what he wanted to do regarding college. Just then, he noticed one of his best friends, Chloe Sullivan coming up the drive.

"Hey, Chloe. Here to see Lois?" Clark asked.

"Nope. Came to see you," Chloe answered.

"Me?" Clark repeated in surprise.

"Yeah. There's this really cool underground party in the caves, and I was wondering if you'd like to go with me," Chloe responded.

"I don't know. I mean, the last time we went to one of those parties, we all turned into adrenaline junkies," Clark said doubtfully.

"Come on. It was a once-in-a-million event. I'm sure it won't happen again," Chloe wheedled.

"Well…" Clark hesitated. She flashed him a pleading look. "Okay," he agreed. She laughed and they walked off. Later that day, they showed up at the cave.

"Whoa. It's gorgeous," Chloe breathed.

"Seems more like a school dance than a rave," Clark agreed.

"Oh, come on. Let's get some punch," Chloe enthused. Clark laughed and followed her to the punch bowl, which had small, pink rocks laying in it. The two each grabbed a cup and filled it.

"You know what, I'm really glad I let you talk me into coming here. It's what I needed," Clark told her.

"Hey, anything for a friend," Chloe answered. They each took a drink. Clark groaned as his body shook involuntarily.

"Hey, you okay?" Chloe queried in concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just---" Simultaneously, the teens' eyes flashed pink for a second, and then returned to normal. "How did I never notice how incredibly gorgeous you are?" he continued.

"Maybe you were looking at me, but not really **seeing** me," she told him. He threw his cup to the floor, grabbed her, pinned her to the wall, and kissed her passionately. Chloe moaned and reciprocated his actions full force.

"What do you say we blow this joint and go somewhere more private?" he suggested, pulling away.

"Fine with me," she agreed. Then, they walked off.


	2. Affected

DISCLAIMER

Still doesn't belong to me, but the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

The next day, Smallville got to see the effects of previous night's party in full swing. Everywhere people looked, they saw the unlikeliest of couples. At the Talon, Lana Lang was still marveling the fact that ex-quarterback Danny Parker was devoting his entire attention to science whiz Janet Glenn when Jason Teague came walking up.

"Hey, pretty girl," he greeted, coming up to her.

"Hey," she said happily, giving him a hug. "So, it looks like love's in the air in Smallville," she noted.

"Yeah, with a lot of weird couples," her boyfriend commented.

"Jason!" Lana chided.

"Oh, come on, Lana. Take Danny and Janet for example. Now I like Janet, she's a great girl. But Danny was always too shallow to notice her," Jason reminded her.

"Well, he **is** out of high school. Maybe he grew up," Lana defended.

"Yeah, maybe," Jason agreed doubtfully. "So, after work, do you wanna---" his question faded away when he realized she had stopped listening to him. "What is it?" he asked.

"You know how you were saying that there were some weird couples here?" Lana asked.

"Yeah. Why?" Jason responded.

"Turn around," Lana told him. Confused, Jason did so. To his surprise, Clark and Chloe were sitting at a table, talking and laughing. Which of itself wasn't that surprising seeing how they were best friends, however, Clark reached over and brushed the hair out of Chloe's face, and then kissed her lovingly.

"Okay. Yeah, that's weird," Jason commented. _I wonder how __**that**__ happened_, he thought to himself.

"Chloe. Man, you're so beautiful," Clark sighed.

"And you're such a flatterer," Chloe told him. They laughed as Jason came up.

"Hey, guys. What's up?" he wondered.

"Just enjoying the day with the monster beautiful girl in the world," Clark responded.

"Isn't he such a flatterer?" Chloe giggled.

"Uh…sure, I guess," Jason answered. Then, "When did this happen?"

"Well, we were at a rave, and…we just kind of…**noticed** each other," Chloe told him.

"She's been incredibly patient with me. I mean, I **finally** came to my senses after all this time," Clark added. They laughed and kissed. Expecting the kiss to be short, Jason waited. However, it showed no sign of stopping, and actually deepened.

"Okay. Getting awkward," Jason muttered. Then, he walked back to Lana. "There's **definitely** something strange with those two," he said to her.

"Did they say how they got together?" she queried.

"Apparently they noticed each other at a rave," he said.

"Huh. Weird," she mused.

"Completely," he agreed. They turned to stare at their friends.


	3. Amazing Discovery

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Writerchick: Thanks. Well, then, this is the story for you. Glad you like it. Here's the next update.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

Meanwhile, Lex Luthor parked his car in front of an important-looking building in Metropolis. Then, he got out, entered the establishment, and walked to a receptionist's desk.

"May I help you?" the woman asked in a bored tone.

"Lex Luthor to see a Ms. Christina Braddock," he told her.

"Oh! Yes, Mr. Luthor. I'll tell her you're here," the woman said, flustered. Then, pressing an intercom, "Ms. Braddock, Mr. Luthor is here to you."

"Send him in please," was the answer.

"Right away," came the promise. Then, "Mr. Luthor, I want to apologize for---"

"Don't worry about it. It'll stay between us," Lex interrupted with a conspiritial wink. She giggled and sent him on his way. Lex followed the directions and walked to the office. Once there, he was let in.

"Ms. Braddock?" he questioned.

"Oh, please. Call me Christina," the woman responded.

"Well, what is it I can do for you?" Lex wondered.

"Mr. Luthor, I realize that you're an **extremely** busy man, and normally I wouldn't bother you with such a paltry thing such as a chemical pheromone, but you won't believe what it's triggered by," Christina told him, barely containing her excitement.

"So enlighten me," Lex requested.

"Well, a few weeks ago, a former Smallville High student who's asked to remain anonymous discovered a strange light in some local Indian caves, followed it, found some rocks, and mixed them into the water with some shall we say interesting results," Christina told him.

"Can I see these rocks?" Lex requested.

"Oh, of course! You won't believe it! **I** could barely believe it," Christina enthused. She reached into her desk and pulled out a box. Lex watched as she opened it and then turned it around. His eyes widened.

"Is that what I think it is?" he questioned.

"Precisely," she confirmed.

"Unbelievable," he said.

"I know. **Pink** meteor rocks," she revealed.


	4. Discussion And Play

SHOUT OUT/ANSWERS

Manta Rayz: Thanks! Glad you think so. Well, I wouldn't go that far, and well, I promised a reviewer…so, there you have it. Keep readin'. Here you go.

Windyfontaine (Chs 1-3): Yep. I know what you mean, though I like the character. Yeah. Hope you enjoy. Thanks. Glad you liked. Glad you approve. Enjoy. Well, just a **little** bit more. **Exactly**. Yay, here you go. Thanks, I will.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

"Who else knows about this?" Lex questioned.

"Just you, me, and our anonymous student," Christina answered.

"Good. Let's keep it that way," Lex declared.

"Of course," Christina agreed. _Like_ _I'd let someone else know about the most scientific discovery of the century_, she derisively thought to herself. Really, did she seem as naïve as Mr. Luthor thought? Lex stared at the woman, trying to gauge her thoughts. From her expression, it would seem he had insulted her. However, as bad a thought it was, he really didn't care. The meteor rocks were dangerous. He had seen the mischief wrought due to various rocks of different colors and the last thing Smallville needed was yet another color affecting people.

"What we need is a way to determine what kind of affect it has on the populace, and what we can do to dispel it," Lex declared.

"Um, of course," Christina hesitantly agreed. Then, Lex's watch beeped.

"Oh, excuse me. I have an appointment that I must get to," the man told her.

"Of course, Mr. Luthor. After all, you're an important man," was her response. Lex threw her a small smile, and then walked out of the building. Meanwhile, back in Smallville, Janet and Danny were at Make Out Point, exploring the back of Danny's Honda.

"Oh, Janet. Janet, Janet, Janet," Danny moaned.

"Call me 'Janey'," Janet requested.

"Janey, Janey, Janey," Danny promptly declared. Janet giggled as the boy's hands moved down her arms. Boy, was she ever glad she had discovered those pink rocks.


	5. Love And College Talk

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Spuffyshipper (Chs 3, 4): Thanks. I will. Yeah, I know what you mean. Hey, at least you found it. Thanks. That's what I was going for. Yes. Eventually, I have an idea for a subplot that I want to work with. Thanks. I will. Well, keep readin' to see what happens next.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

Later that night, Jonathan and Martha were waiting for Clark, but trying to keep busy as to not worry.

"I just don't understand why he wouldn't call us," Jonathan said.

"Give him a few more minutes. Dinner's in the oven and it'll still be fine," Martha reminded him. Just then, they heard the door open. "See? What'd I tell you?" she queried. Jonathan sighed.

"It's still no excuse for not letting us know that he'd be running late," he declared.

"Hey, Mom, Dad. Sorry we're late. Chloe and I---kind of lost track of time," Clark apologized.

"You've been with Chloe all this time?" Jonathan asked in surprise as the teens came into view. He was further surprised to see them holding hands.

"Well, who else would I hang out with?" Clark wondered, squeezing the girl's hand.

"Lana, Jason, Lois, Lex," Martha answered.

"Lana and Jason have each other, Lois is mostly in Metropolis, and Lex is too busy playing Moneybags, Jr.," Chloe responded.

"Yeah, they have their own lives, and we have ours," Clark agreed.

"It's uh---okay that I'm here, right?" Chloe asked in concern.

"Of course it is, Chloe. We're always glad to see you," Jonathan assured with a smile as Martha went to get the food from the kitchen. Chloe let out a relieved chuckle. _What a relief_, she thought to herself.

"Want me to set the table?" Clark questioned.

"Yes, please," Jonathan answered. The teens went to do as they were told and Jonathan blew out a breath. During dinner, the husband and wife couldn't help but notice that the two were acting awfully close. Yes, Clark and Chloe were best friends, but this seemed more---boyfriend-girlfriendly than anything else. At dinner, the two sat next to each other, and continually nudged each other with their feet. After the umpteenth giggle, Jonathan placed his fork beside his plate.

"Okay, you two, what's going on?" he demanded.

"Nothing…except I finally came to my senses about Chloe. I mean…I can't believe it took me this long to see what was right in front of me," Clark answered.

"It's kind of sudden, isn't it?" Martha questioned.

"Not at all. If anything, I've taken too long. I mean, Chloe had every right to completely reject me," Clark responded.

"Why would I do that, silly?" Chloe scolded with a laugh and a slight slap.

"So, you two are happy?" Martha asked.

"Completely," Chloe and Clark answered together. Then, they laughed at the unison-ed response. Jonathan and Martha stared at each other. They weren't sure what was going on, but if the kids were happy, who were they to argue?

"Mom, Dad, aren't you going to say **something**?" Clark asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

"Sorry, son. You two have just caught us a bit off guard is all," Jonathan apologized.

"But if this is how you two really feel about each other, we're happy for you," Martha added. Meanwhile, Jason and Lana were having their own quiet dinner.

"So, you said you wanted to talk to me," Jason commented.

"Yes. I'm stuck between two colleges. Kansas A&M, and Met U," Lana replied.

"Well, what does Met U have?" Jason queried.

"A passing photography course, excellent accounting classes which would help me take care of the Talon even better, and it's in the city, which I love," Lana answered.

"And Kansas A&M?" Jason prompted.

"Great photography class, excellent accounting courses, it's closer to home, and you're there of course," Lana stated.

"Where do you feel your heart leading you?" Jason questioned.

"Well, if it turns out to be Met U, what would your feelings be on that? I mean, this affects us both," Lana reminded him.

"If you think you'll have better opportunities for success as Met U, you should take it. I'll miss you like crazy, but…you should do what's best for you," Jason declared.

"I'm glad you feel that way," Lana said. Jason felt his stomach clench. She was gonna go to Met U. _That's okay. That's okay. We'll make it work_, he assured himself. "Because now that I've talked it out with you, I feel that between the two, my best opportunities are at Kansas A&M," she told him. Jason let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding and Lana laughed at the reaction.

"Are you okay? Can you breathe again?" she queried.

"Don't do that to me," Jason scolded. She leaned over and kissed him, letting her fingers run through his hair.

_"Jason," his mother called seductively. _Jason shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts.

"Hey, you okay?" Lana asked at the action.

"Yeah, I'm good," Jason answered quickly. He kissed her back and let himself get lost in his girlfriend's affection.


	6. Study

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Windyfontaine (Chs 4-5): It's okay. It happens to me too. Yep, glad you like. Thanks. That's okay. I like positive reinforcement. Glad you like. Here's more. Thanks, you too.

Spuffyshipper (Chs 4-5): Thanks. Hope this is soon enough. We'll see. Thanks. Hope this is soon enough. Yep. Glad you can enjoy some faves. Yeah, I tend to do that too.

Manta Rayz: Thanks. Glad you like. Well, for my take on the series, the Lana/Clark ship has sailed, sorry. Here you go.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. Sorry this is so short. I'm struggling with what to do with the story.

The next morning, Clark awoke with a contented smile on his face. A few hours after dinner the night before, Chloe had gone home, and Clark had done his chores. Chloe. He was so happy with her. Why had it taken him so long to see what was in front of him? Thank goodness she had been so patient.

"Clark! Get up! Daylight's burning" his mother called. With a sigh, the teen hurriedly got dressed and then practically flew down the stairs. Martha let out a gasp as her son suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Oh! You startled me!" she said.

"Figured it'd be best if I hurried," was the answer.

"Good call," she told him. The teen sped through his morning activities, only stopping long enough to have breakfast with his parents. Then, he and his father went to the back of the farm to begin working. Meanwhile, at his mansion, Lex was staring at the sample of pink meteor that Christina had loaned him. _How do you work?_ he wondered to himself. He had never seen a rock like this, but had heard about the strange couples in Smallville, and he wasn't sure what to make of it. He blew out a breath and picked up the rock.

"How can you be getting the energy to cause so much trouble?" he wondered aloud. "Now I'm talking to a rock, terrific," he continued. _You're going to be sent back to Bell Reeve if you keep __**that**__ up_, he thought to himself with a shake of his head. He blew out a breath, rolled up his sleeves, and began experimenting on the stone.


	7. Apology And Memories

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Spuffyshipper: Thanks. Okey-doke. Wasn't planning on it. Small town, sounds nice. Bummer 'bout your video store. No, that's not bad at all.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. I just realized that I had advertised Chloe and Clark going to a dance club and then had them going to a rave. I apologize for the mix-up.

Meanwhile, Janet and Danny were in the park having a picnic breakfast.

"Danny, you didn't have to do this," Janet told him.

"I wanted to. I wanted to make up for the horrible way I treated you in high school," Danny told her.

"Well, it's unnecessary, but completely appreciated," Janet responded, putting a hand on his leg.

"When I think about the things I said to you…how shallow I was," Danny said in regret.

"As far as I'm concerned, that was a lifetime ago. This is now," Janet told him. Danny grinned.

"How'd I end up with the coolest girl in the world?" he wondered.

"Just lucky I guess," was her answer. They laughed. He hugged her, and she pulled him to the ground, knocking over the picnic basket. They laughed harder. Then, they kissed. Janet's heart soared. This was everything she had dreamed of. Danny was finally paying attention to her and it was all thanks to those pink rocks. Danny let himself get lost in the kiss. He couldn't believe how cool Janet was being. He had been such a jerk to her in school, and here she was just dismissing his actions like they hadn't even happened. But they had. And Danny vowed to make it up to Janet as much as he could. In another part of Smallville, Lana was riding her horse. She closed her eyes for a brief moment and let the wind whip at her hair. _Mmmm. This feels so good_, she thought to herself. Then, she opened her eyes again. It felt so good to be out and about again. She had missed this so much. With all the excitement of Isobel and the stones, she hadn't gotten a lot of chances to indulge herself in this way. She wasn't sure what Jason was doing this morning, and she found her mind wandering to him. It wasn't like she couldn't function without him, but she **did** feel a little empty without him by her side. In his apartment, Jason blew out a breath and messed up his hair with his hands. He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, thanks to the dreams that had haunted him. He leaned against the wall and sighed. Before he could stop them, memories assaulted him.

_**"Jason," Genevieve whispered, as she opened the door.**__** The fourteen-year old sighed and sat up.**_

_**"Fine," he agreed in resignation. The woman chuckled and walked up to him.**_ Jason moaned and ran his fingers through his hair. _No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Stay out, stay out, stay out, stay out, stay out, stay out!_ his mind screamed. _**Jason walked through his house. Suddenly, someone grabbed his arm. With a gasp, he turned.**_

_**"Mother," he said softly.**_

_**"Jason, where have you been these past few days? I've missed you," the woman said.**_

_**"This can't continue. I won't let it," the boy told her.**_

_**"You won't **__**let**__** it?" she repeated. Then, she struck him.**_ _**"Is that **__**any**__** way to speak to your mother?" she angrily continued. Jason's breathing hitched as he was shoved against a wall and pinned.**_Jason's eyes held anguish as he laid his head against the wall and let a leg fall limply against the bed.


	8. Pain And Happiness

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Spuffyshipper: Yep. Thanks. Sorry this isn't soon enough. Maybe, but no promises. I have so many other stories lined up, it's not even funny.

Windyfontaine (Chs 6-7): This is true. Lol. That **would** be funny. I see. Thanks, I will. Yep. I haven't decided yet. Irony, ain't it a kick? Thanks. Okey-doke.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to the CW. I only own the plot. Sorry this is so short.

This was how Lana found him when she returned to his apartment.

"Jason?" she asked, approaching him. He didn't answer, but continued to stare into space. "Jason?" she repeated. She touched his knee and he jumped. "Hey, what's that all about?" she asked in concern.

"Lana," Jason said, snapping out of his stupor.

"What's wrong?" Lana asked, kneeling next to him on the bed. Jason sighed and pulled his leg back up on the bed.

"Lana, I----" he began to say. A vision of his mother flashed before his eyes and he stopped.

"Jason, what?" Lana queried.

"I---I can't. I want to---but I---I just can't," Jason told her.

"Why?" Lana asked, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

"I---I can't. I just---I can't," Jason repeated. Then, doubling over, he began crying.

"Ohhhhh," Lana breathed. _What happened? What pain is he hiding?_ she wondered. Then, making shushing noises, she held his head in her lap, and stroked his hair. At the Kent farm, Chloe and Clark had settled on the couch in the living room and were watching an old movie. Chloe made a noise of contentment and snuggled up to Clark, who pulled her into a hug.

"Happy?" he questioned.

"Completely," she answered with a sigh.

"Good," he responded. The girl sighed again and leaned against his chest. He smiled and leaned down so that their heads were touching. Together, they stared at the screen.


	9. Successful Experiment

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Spuffyshipper: Thanks. Hope this is soon enough. Yeah. Unfortunately, yes. Exactly.

Windyfontaine: Thanks. We'll see. Lol. I will.

Manta Rayz: Glad you're enjoyin' the story. All of your questions about Jason can be answered in the first two stories of the series _Dear Boy_ and _Ties That Bind_. That the two won't be paired up in these fics.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to the CW. I only own the plot. After I finish this fic, I'm not going to upload unless it's finished first because I leave for my new college in five weeks.

While all of this was happening, Lex had thrown himself into his research. However, so far he had no luck in figuring out how the meteor rocks were being activated. He blew out a frustrated breath.

"This…is a disaster," he commented, looking at the mess of his many tried and failed experiments. A knock on the door startled the man and he turned around.

"Mr. Luthor, are you all right?" one of his assistants questioned.

"I'm fine, Myron. Just…frustrated," Lex responded.

"Why don't you take a break?" Myron suggested.

"That's a good idea," Lex agreed.

"Great. The kitchen staff has some food waiting," Myron told him. Lex walked out of the room and followed the man to the dining room. Lex sat down at the vast table and began eating. His mind wandered. _I wish I had someone to share this with_, he thought to himself. It got awful lonely in a big mansion like this. He needed someone else to fill it, to make it more…homey. The millionaire sighed and continued eating. Suddenly, he was aware of running footsteps. Startled, he stood up. To his surprise, a team of his men burst in.

"Mr. Luthor, you might want to come see this," one of the men said. He followed them into the room he had been working in. To his surprise, another of his men and one of his female employees were in the middle of what seemed to be an intense make-out session.

"How did this happen?" Lex demanded.

"Well, we wanted to surprise you by figuring out how the rock worked, and Williams and Cartwright had the idea of mixing it with water. Then, they got thirsty, so they got a couple of cups, and **that** happened," was the answer.

"So as Ms. Braddock's student realized, the meteor is fueled by water," Lex surmised.

"It would appear so, Sir," a woman stated. It was then that the couple became aware of their audience.

"Hey, uh, what do you say we go find someplace more private?" the man suggested.

"Fine by me," the woman agreed. Then, they began walking off.

"Joe, Emily---" Lex began to say.

"Yes, Mr. Luthor?" they asked together.

"Why don't you take the rest of the day off?" Lex suggested.

"Thank you, Mr. Luthor," they said. Then, they walked off as Lex and the others watched them.

"Well, **that** was interesting," Lex commented. Then, "Now let's discuss what the heck you were thinking conducting this experiment in my absence?" At his apartment, Jason was finally all cried out.

"Are you okay? Do you feel better?" Lana asked, as the man sat back up.

"Yeah. Uh, sorry for breaking down on you," Jason apologized.

"Don't apologize. You obviously had a good reason for it," Lana replied. Then, "What's going on, Jason? What's gotten you all torn up like this?" Jason let out a ragged breath.

"I can't. I'm sorry, Lana. I can't. Not just yet," he apologized. His eyes clouded and Lana looked at him in sympathy.


	10. The Antidote

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Windyfontaine: Great. Yeah, to say the least. Nope. Yep. Thanks, you too.

Spuffyshipper: Thanks. Hope this is soon enough. That would be interesting, though I never really followed the later seasons.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to the CW. I only own the plot.

In the late hours of the night---or maybe the wee hours of the morning, Lex wasn't too sure---he had lost track after Cartwright and Williams had returned---he stared at the meteor in surprise. He couldn't believe it, but he was almost sure he had found the antidote. Now he just needed someone to try it out on.

"I can't believe after all this searching, the antidote's so simple," he muttered. _Well, I think I'll go find Cartwright and Williams_, he thought to himself. He filled two cups full of liquid and walked down the hall; following the sounds of the couple enjoy each other's company.

"Williams! Cartwright!" he called when he arrived at the door. _I can't believe they're still going. Don't they have their own place, and don't they ever sleep?_ he thought to himself. There was some rustling from behind the door, which soon opened to reveal his male employee.

"Sorry to interrupt, Joe. I just thought you two might be thirsty," Lex told him.

"Thank you, Mr. Luthor," Joe responded, taking the drinks. Putting one on the floor, he closed the door and Lex walked away. Almost seconds later, he heard a shriek of indignation and hurried back to make sure things didn't get out of hand. _I didn't expect it to work this quickly_, he thought to himself.

"You creep! What the heck?" Emily asked, stomping out of the room. "Mr. Luthor!" she called furiously.

"Calm down, Emily. You were both under the affects of meteor rock. Which, apparently, are counteracted by simple apple juice," Lex told her.

"Mr. Luthor, your projects get stranger every year," Emily stated in a hard tone. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to home and get the scent of that manhandling freak off of me," she continued. Without waiting fro a response, she stomped off.

"She's always a breath of fresh air," Lex commented sarcastically. Then, "Joe, are you feeling?"

"Stupid, remorseful…confused," Joe answered.

"Go home and get some rest," Lex stated.

"Thank you, Sir," Joe said. Then, he hurried away. Once that was taken care of, Lex went to his office.

"Mr. Luthor, Sir, what's the plan now?" Myron wondered.

"Well, since we have no way of telling how many people in Smallville were affected by the pink meteor, we simply nip it in the bud by gathering the townspeople in one place," Lex answered, as he got on the phone and dialed a number.

"And how do we do **that **without making them suspicious?" Myron queried.

"Valid question, and here's the answer: throw a party," Lex stated. Then, he began talking to the person on the other line.


	11. Reversal Of Love

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Spuffyshipper: Thanks, glad you like it. Hope this is soon enough. Yep. Wow. Big year. Congrats. I getcha. Good luck.

Windyfontaine: Thanks. Glad you like. Yep. Thanks. Here's the next one. I will.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to the CW. I only own the plot. Since Chloe knows Clark's secret, I'm going with the idea that she knows the actual name of the meteor rocks.

Within hours, all of Smallville had heard the news: Lex was throwing a big bash and **everyone** in town was invited.

"Yeah, it's supposed to be like, this really big soiree," a girl said to her best friend.

"Do you have any idea why Mr. Luthor's throwing this party?" the friend questioned.

"Who cares? It's a party at Lex Luthor's!" the girl squealed. The two girls laughed. In Lana's apartment, the girl was on the phone with Jason.

"Yeah, it's supposed to be a really big bash. It sounds kinda fun," she stated. She listened for a few minutes. "No, I'm not telling you what I'm gonna wear. You're just gonna have to find out when you pick me up," she responded. She laughed. "Jason, stop. You're going to make blush," she said. He said something and Lana giggled. "Okay, I'm hanging up now," she told him. Then, despite his objections, she did just as she promised. Lana sighed and shook her head fondly. _Oh, Jason. You're such a naughty flirt_, she thought to herself. At the Kent Farm, Martha and Jonathan were also discussing the invitation.

"I don't know, Martha. It doesn't make sense. Lex wouldn't just throw a party for no reason. And for the whole town?" Jonathan asked.

"Well, you've seen the odd couples around town---maybe Lex found an antidote," Martha stated.

"Again, why the whole town?" Jonathan wondered.

"Maybe he doesn't know who was all affected and this was the only way he could think of to get everyone," Martha commented.

"Hmmm. Could be," Jonathan mused.

"Come on. Let's go to this party. It could be fun," Martha encouraged, putting her arms around his neck.

"Yeah, okay," Jonathan agreed. They went to get ready. A couple of hours later, they were at the party.

"Wow. Lex has quite a turn out," Martha said in surprise.

"He sure does," Jonathan agreed, looking around. Lex gazed at the couples. _I certainly hope this works_, he thought to himself. As the party wore on, one-by-one, the partygoers drank the apple juice. As they did, there were confused exclamations. By the punch bowl in Lex's earshot, Janet and Danny each took a drink from their cups. Their eyes shone a brighter shade of their natural color, and then returned to normal.

"Wha---what are we doing here together?" Danny questioned. Then, "**That**---didn't come out right."

"No, that's okay. I'm---I'm as confused as you," Janet replied.

"Um, could we---go somewhere and talk?" Danny questioned.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Janet agreed. They walked away.

"That went better than Joe and Emily," Lex muttered. Meanwhile, Chloe and Clark were talking and laughing. They were both holding a glass of apple juice, though they hadn't even taken a sip. However, Clark finally had to take a drink. Again, his body shuddered.

"Clark?" Chloe asked in concern. _Did he somehow get a taste of Kryptonite?_ she thought frantically, not noticing when his eyes turned a brighter shade of their hazel eyes, and then returned to normal.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just---a little confused. What's going on?" Clark wondered.

"We're at a party of Lex's," Chloe answered.

"Of Lex's?" Clark repeated. Then, looking around, "Why's the whole town here?"

"I have no clue," Chloe responded, as she finally took a drink. Her eyes shone, and then returned to normal. "Clark, wha---did we---" as she stammered out the question, images from the past few days filled her head. _Oh, man. I can't believe I_---with a groan of embarrassment, Chloe ran off.

"Chloe!" Clark exclaimed. He ran after her.


	12. All's Well That Ends Well

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Spuffyshipper: Thanks. Hope this is soon enough. Glad you like it. I'd love to see **that** idea.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to the CW. I only own the plot. I just realized I had been ignoring Jake for the entire story, and I wanted to rectify that.

Two days later, Clark met Jake outside of a courthouse.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Clark," the other boy grinned. He hopped into the truck, and they took off.

"So…how'd the trial go?" Clark questioned.

"Good. My foster parents won't get out any time soon. But I'm just glad to be going home," Jake answered.

"Hey, be glad you were gone, man. Things were **really** confusing around here for a while," Clark told him, starting the engine and going down the road.

"Really? What happened?" Jake wondered.

"Well, Chloe and I went to a rave underneath the Navajo caves---" Clark

"**You** were at a rave?" Jake interrupted. "Who are you and what've you done with the **real** Clark?" he questioned.

"Hey, do you wanna hear the story or not?" Clark questioned.

"Sorry. Continue," Jake apologized. Clark did so and explained what had happened.

"Oh, man! **Pink** Kryptonite? And it turned the whole town into the _O.C._?" Jake asked.

"Well, it wasn't **that** bad---I don't think. I---ended up with Chloe, which though not bad, was kind of---" Clark stated.

"Awkward," Jake finished.

"Exactly," Clark said. They continued talking as they headed back to Smallville. When they arrived back at home, they were met by Jonathan and Martha.

"Hey, kids!" Martha called.

"Hey Martha, Jonathan," Jake acknowledged.

"So…how'd it go?" Martha asked hesitantly as they came up to her. She wanted Jake to know that they were interested in his life, but at the same time, she didn't want to seem pushy either.

"It went good. I'm not up to talking just yet though," Jake answered.

"Well come inside, boys. We've got food," Jonathan said, slinging his arms around their shoulders.

"Sounds good, Dad," Clark stated.

"Yeah, it sounds **really** good," Jake agreed. Meanwhile, in his apartment, Jason was getting ready to meet Lana, when the phone rang.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Hi, Jase," a voice greeted. Jason froze.

"Dad. How did you get this number?" he wondered.

"Your mother," was the answer.

"How did she---never mind. I don't think I wanna know," Jason said.

"I'd like to see you," Brett Teague commented.

"Not gonna happen. **Don**'**t** call me again," Jason snapped, his face hardening. Before his father could answer, he hung up. Then, he continued getting ready. Finally, there was a knock at his door.

"Come on in!" he called. The door opened.

"Hey, you ready?" Lana questioned.

"Just about. Got a few locks to whip into place," Jason answered.

"Forget it. You look fine. Let's just go," Lana said. Then, before he could object, she grabbed his arm and pulled him out the door.

THE END

WHAT'S HAPPENING NEXT TIME

Next time on _Smallville_: Lex's brother Lucas appears back in Smallville bloody and bruised with killers on his trail. Will Lex once again help his brother? Find out next time on: _Smallville_.


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